


Somewhere Between

by bensaidbutido



Category: Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Angst, Ben doesn’t know how to open doors. It’s a thing., Ben is brought back to life but he’s on Earth, Eventual Happy Ending, Eventual Smut, F/M, Fluff, Fluff and Humor, Hurt/Comfort, Post-Canon Fix-It, Rey is in college, ”How long can I hide this big space warrior man in my room?” Rey
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-07-16
Updated: 2020-08-21
Packaged: 2021-03-04 22:07:33
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 14,091
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25293676
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bensaidbutido/pseuds/bensaidbutido
Summary: Rey—and, yes, it was unmistakably her—bent over to pick up the communication device, then said in a shaky voice, “Rose, I’ll call you back.”The call was severed and all that was left was the silence between the two of them.Ben spoke up first.“Rey, what is going on? Where are we—““Who are you and how do you know my name?”Ben’s mind nearly collapsed. “What?”A modern AU/fix-it fic where Ben is revived in college student Rey’s dorm on Earth.
Relationships: Rey & Ben Solo, Rey & Ben Solo | Kylo Ren, Rey/Ben Solo, Rey/Ben Solo | Kylo Ren
Comments: 87
Kudos: 140





	1. Day One

**Author's Note:**

> It’s finally here! I hope it does not disappoint. This is going to be quite the ride...

Ben Solo’s life ended on the cold and unwelcoming ground of Exegol. 

He had swooped in like a knight without his armor, running into a fight unprepared, but with the devotion needed to win one. It was all for her. It would _always_ be for her. He killed the Knights of Ren without a second thought, plunging the azure blade that once belonged to Anakin Skywalker through their chests. 

Once he got to her, breathing heavily with determination, he knew there was no other place he belonged. They were together. They were one—moving in unison without even being aware of it, attuned to each other so inexplicably and beautifully. Weapons raised, they were ready to fight, and the bond between them was on fire. 

But that was the thing about fire. It burned out quickly. 

Suddenly, all that was good and hopeful came crashing down. Palpatine gained the upper hand, draining the life force from both Ben and Rey in order to feed his own dying body. Ben was the first to rise after the attack, weakened and hurt, but never giving up. He didn’t stand a chance as Palpatine easily flung him deep into an abyss as Rey remained unconscious.

Somehow he survived.

Then there was the agonizing climb. The pang in his chest on the way up at the feeling of Rey’s death. Her limp form, as small and fragile as a speck of dust among the horrid atmosphere of the throne room. 

He scrambled to her, falling once from a broken ankle, struggling to breathe through cracked ribs, and yet all of the physical pain couldn’t outweigh the excruciating loss tugging at his heart—shattering his soul. 

He held her. 

He held her as her eyes never shut, never blinked. They were glassy. Lifeless. Cold and empty. That just wasn’t her. Rey was bright. She was warm and glowing. She was strong.

He wouldn’t let her slip away, so he did what he had to do.

He brought her back, but with a cost.

The last thing Ben Solo felt before becoming one with the force was the warmth of Rey’s hand in his own.

The last thing he saw was Rey herself. Her hazel eyes were full of light, and she was smiling at him, holding his face in her hands. She was alive because of _him._ He felt her fingers glide affectionately across his cheek, and then something sparked in her—a realization—and before Ben knew it she was bringing herself forward to kiss him. 

It was the first time he felt true happiness in years. _So many years._ As she pulled away from the kiss, he was dazed and content, looking at her lips one last time before gazing into her eyes and breaking out into a smile. It shocked him, how the muscles in his face pulled, how it felt so foreign and yet so right in that moment. To smile at her because he loved her, and because she loved him, too. 

It felt like it was the beginning of a new life for him, and she seemed to echo the thought, but that life wouldn’t even last a full minute. 

Rey’s eyes flashed with worry as his grip on her loosened and he fell back, dragging her down with him.

His body faded away then, no longer physically living, and it seemed certain that the story of Ben Solo came to an end. He would exist as a ghost in the galaxy, a man who was never able to atone for his mistakes.

That might’ve been the cruelest stroke of all—how death stopped him from being able to truly grow. To one day forgive himself. To be with her. Ben knew as long as he was by Rey’s side, he would be on the right path, and yet the force had taken it all away—the same force that brought them together in the first place. 

His final act was out of love. To save Rey from a fate she didn’t deserve.

And so that was the end, right? It had to be the end.

Except it wasn’t. 

Ben didn’t know how it happened, didn’t know how much time had passed. Suddenly he could feel his body again, alive and well. He could hear the breath leaving his lips as he exhaled. He was surrounded in pitch black darkness, in a space so small he was forced to crouch down. He couldn’t see what was around him, but he could feel... something—no, _multiple_ things surrounding him. Soft to the touch. He didn’t know what.

Then he realized whatever was touching him was actually touching his bare skin. 

Ben was naked. 

_ Right. _

Unfortunately clothing didn’t become one with the force. It’s understandable, especially when it’s sure the person who died will in fact _stay dead._ In Ben’s case, however, he was mysteriously revived and was currently crouched in a random room without a new set of clothes. 

His connection to the force was still there. He could feel it humming in the distance, but there was something different about it. Something off.

_ Where am I? _

_ Where is  _ she?

The thought of Rey hit him like a tidal wave. Inescapable and flooding his mind until every other thought drowned. He suddenly couldn’t care less about what was happening and couldn’t help but wonder where she was. If she was okay. If she was happy. If she was alone...

If their bond was intact. 

Did she know he was alive? Could she feel it?

Ben closed his eyes and reached out, feeling the force and guiding himself to their bond, searching for the spark that would run through his entire body whenever he found her. Her light, her energy, everything about her that he couldn’t get enough of, and then—

—A sharp sound in the distance suddenly filled his ears and made him falter, losing his connection before he could go further. 

Whatever caused the sound could’ve been anything, but what Ben heard next was certainly the patting of footsteps, and they were drawing nearer with each second that passed.

He was frozen. He didn’t know where he was, how he wasn’t dead anymore, and why this was happening in the first place. It was out of pure instinct for his hands to find his hips, hoping to grasp his lightsaber and—

“Fuck,” he muttered. He already forgot he threw away his weapon in the Death Star ruins with the intent of never using it again. 

Also, he was naked.

Also, he was supposed to be _dead._

Ben rolled his eyes in the darkness. 

Suddenly, the footsteps started to fade away, heading in another direction, and he let out a sigh of relief. He knew at this point that wherever he was had to have some kind of exit. A blast door. He needed to get out of here.

He tried standing, but was met with his head thumping against what felt and sounded like metal bars, sending off a vibrating hum. He groaned in annoyance and tried reaching out his arms—which he couldn’t even fully extend before the palms of his hands met a cold wall—and finally he was getting somewhere. 

Balancing on his feet, Ben kept his hands on the wall and moved them around, hoping to find some kind of switch or—

His right hand hit something jutting out of the wall. He grasped it—a round knob—and twisted it, pulling it toward him. 

Nothing happened.

He pulled again. Nothing. His temper was starting to boil, and he tried one more time. 

Nothing.

“What the fuck is this thing even for?” Ben growled, continuing to pull the knob toward him. It was useless—some random thing sticking out of the wall that he couldn’t see. Where the hell was he?

Fight or flight kicked in. The force wrapped around him and Ben hurled all of his energy on the _stupid_ knob—he didn’t care if anger was involved—and then the knob twisted and part of the wall opened outward. A door, and definitely _not_ a blast door at that.

Natural light spilled in.

Ben looked above him to see that the room he was in was actually taller and—

—full of clothes?

Weird clothes. He’d never seen anything like it before. Before he could question it, he realized his head hit a _shelf_ earlier, not some metal roof as he began to assume. He moved forward and was finally able to stand, taking one step out the door. 

But it wasn’t just his own steps he ended up hearing. The footsteps from before were drawing nearer again, definitely headed toward him. 

He was in somebody’s _home._

Panic washed over him, unable to form a coherent plan, and all Ben had to see was a bed in the corner to make up his mind and hastily grab a yellow blanket sat on top of it, wrapping it around his hips and cursing quietly the entire time.

“Rose, it’s not in the bathroom. I’ll check my closet, though...”

The galaxy shattered like a mirror. 

He could recognize that sweet voice from anywhere. 

_ Rey? _

The sound of a device falling to the ground caught Ben off guard before he could even realize he said her name out loud. 

There she was. Standing before him.

“Rey? Rey, are you still there?” The device spoke. It must have been some kind of communication device. Long and rectangular with an unrecognizable symbol on the back. Ben had never seen one in that specific design. 

Rey—and, yes, it was _unmistakably_ her—bent over to pick up the communication device, then said in a shaky voice, “Rose, I’ll call you back.”

The call was severed and all that was left was the silence between the two of them. 

Ben spoke up first.

“Rey, what is going on? Where are we—“

“Who are you and how do you know my name?” 

Ben’s mind nearly collapsed. “What?”

“You heard me!” Her voice raised, clearly bothered. “And you’re—are you naked? Is that my _blanket?_ Do you not understand? You are in my room. Naked. I don’t know who you are—oh, wait. Are you Hux? Rose said she met a guy—“

“How do you know Hux? Rey, why are you acting like you don’t know me right now?” Ben didn’t even care that he was naked save for the mustard-colored blanket wrapped around him—Rey’s blanket. He just hated what was unraveling before him, that she would even have the audacity to act as if she didn’t know him, after everything they’ve been through.

It was that thought alone that centered him just for a moment. He knew Rey. She would _never_ pull something this cruel as a joke. Not after the way she looked at him before he—

“I don’t know Hux,” Rey muttered. “I just know _of_ him. Are you his friend or—okay, off topic. Listen, you’re lucky I haven’t pushed you out of the window or hit you over the head with a pan. I’m running on one hour of sleep because of this calculus exam, and I’d rather just have you leave without any more trouble being caused.”

Running a hand through his hair, Ben observed the woman standing in front of him. She wasn’t wearing what he usually saw her in. No arm bands, no wraps—not even those signature three buns. Instead she was wearing tight-fitted blue pants of a material he couldn’t name. It looked like it would be rough to the touch. The pants rose up to her waist, and from there she wore a white tank top, which was a style that at least didn’t look so other-worldly. Her hair was loose—distractingly so—falling just below her shoulders in chestnut waves. Her shoes definitely weren’t made for battle. They were brown and didn’t fully cover her feet, made of straps that crossed over one another in some kind of pattern. 

This was Rey. He couldn’t dispute it, but... it also _wasn’t_ her. It was as if another Rey existed in another galaxy. 

_ Another galaxy... _

“Another galaxy? Are you drunk? If you’re not out of here in three seconds—“

“No!” Ben rushed, stepping toward her. Rey took a step back, alarmed, which was understandable since she had no idea who he was and he wasn’t even dressed. Still, it hurt a little. “Okay. I know this is going to sound absurd, but just hear me out. Please. Whatever planet this is, I am not from it. In fact, I don’t think this is the right galaxy. I was born on a planet named Chandrila, located in the Core Worlds. The galaxy where I’m from... it’s different. There’s the Force. I—I have it, and—”

“Oh my,” Rey interrupted. “You really _are_ drunk. Uh, okay, I’m going to just show you to the door—“

“No, Rey. Please. Let me explain.”

“Explain what? That you’re from outer space? And you somehow know my name? You do realize that this is the most weirdly elaborate lie I’ve ever heard, right? I mean, the ‘Force?’ What even is that?”

So, it had come to this. Ben was on the verge of breaking now, but there was no room for it. How could he explain? How could he tell her he knew her fears, how he felt her loneliness? How could he explain to her that they were connected on a level like no other, across space and time? How could he tell her he knew what it was like to kiss her? To hold her? To love her? How could he tell her once again about his past and expect her not to hate him?

Even if Rey didn’t know him, she was here. Ben could take the pain of her not recognizing him—he felt worse pain when he saw the lifeless version of her. In fact, it was the worst pain of his life. Worse than anything Palpatine had inflicted. That was before. Now they were together in some alternate version of reality. That was enough. There were no enemies here. No wars to be fought. He wouldn’t screw it up this time. This is what he wanted instead of death. To grow. 

With her. 

Finally, he took a deep breath and replied, “It’s an energy that’s bound to every living thing. Some feel it more than others. Like me.” 

Rey wasn’t convinced, crossing her arms over her chest and giving Ben a look that could easily kill. “And?”

“Just—“ Ben steadied himself, reaching out his left arm and already calling on his power. “Just watch.”

In less than a second, the device in Rey’s hand was torn from her grip, flying into Ben’s. 

He must’ve looked ridiculous, wrapped in a blanket, holding whatever it was this planet developed in the technology field while Rey was staring at him, jaw dropped, like he’d grown two heads. 

“This can’t be happening to me right now,” she complained, placing her right hand on her forehead, trying to calm herself in some way. Her eyes widened. “I—I might believe you? Who are you?”

He cracked a small smile. “Ben. Ben Solo.”

“Ben,” Rey echoed, and Ben would be lying if hearing the sound of his name on her lips again didn’t revive a certain emotion in him. One he’d have to keep from her for now. “Well, Ben. Your name is pretty common here. Also, we speak the same language and we’re both human, I think, so clearly there are a lot of... _flaws_ in this situation. But what you just did with my phone? There’s no way that’s possible unless what you’re saying is true. I just—I still don’t know...”

Now she was just staring, drifting off from her train of thought and _staring._ At _him._ The silence following wasn’t exactly awkward, but it wasn’t comfortable either.

Everything was just confusing. 

“I do know you, Rey. I also know that this is hard to hear from some random guy that has no explanation as to why he’s in your room. I get it, but just give me time to explain.”

“Do you have anywhere to stay?”

Ben shook his head. “I don’t.”

Rey sighed, conflicted. Ben didn’t need to be linked with her through the force to know how she was feeling right now. He wanted to somehow console her. It was unbearable to know that he was already a heavy weight in her life—even in a _different reality._

He was still a burden. 

_ Maybe some things never changed.  _

“Listen,” Ben said softly. “Please give me time. There’s a lot that you need to know, and if you’re still not convinced that I’m telling the truth, I’ll leave and you’ll never have to see me again.”

Rey looked hesitant, but after a couple of seconds, she nodded. “Okay. One month. You’ll have to live here secretly—I can’t believe this is coming out of my mouth right now. I’ll have to hide you from my roommate. She has her own room across from mine. _Nobody_ can know you’re here.”

“I’m sorry. I don’t want this to be difficult for you—“

That same sharp sound Ben heard from before came again, clearer the second time around and with a voice that sounded similar to the one on Rey’s phone.

“Rey? Did you find it?”

“Shit, shit, shit,” Rey muttered, immediately shutting the door to her room. 

Ben couldn’t even react as Rey nearly sprinted behind him and pushed him with all of her strength. He barely moved. 

“What the fuck? You’re built like a fridge!” There was disbelief laced in Rey’s tone. “Are you some kind of space warrior? Is that it?”

Ben tried to hold it in as best as he could, but the laughter that bubbled up was set free, bouncing off the walls of her room and causing her to shush him. 

“Be quiet and move,” Rey huffed, still pushing him as hard as she could. “You need to hide. _Now.”_

Ben complied and let the force of her push guide him back to the small space from which he emerged. He crouched under the metal shelf, bumping his head _again_ in the process as Rey let out a snort. 

She stepped back and took a good look at him, bare chest in full view with a blanket for a skirt and dark strands of hair falling in front of his face. 

“You’re just so big. I don’t get it.” Her eyes were wide again, almost as if for a moment she truly believed him to be extraterrestrial.

Ben wasn’t able to respond as Rey shut the door of her closet and Rose barged into the room. 

This was easily the most confusing day of his life.


	2. Day Two

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “I got you clothes. It’s not much, but it’ll do for now,” Rey said, grabbing the bag she had left by her door and pulling out the black sweatshirt and pants. “I guessed your size, so I apologize in advance if it, uh, doesn’t fit.”
> 
> Ben took the clothing in his hands, and what happened next was... weird.
> 
> He laughed at the sight of it, and it was the kind of laugh that carried an air of disbelief, irony—sadness.
> 
> She cleared her throat and Ben met her eyes.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter two is here! Hope you all enjoy it :) and thank you for the sweet feedback on the last update! It really gets me inspired to write as soon as I can!

It was surprisingly not that difficult for Rey to find a place Ben could sleep while being hidden. It wasn’t like the chances of Rose barging in the middle of the night were high, but making sure to be cautious wouldn’t hurt. 

There was a small walkway where her closet was located, and the tiny space was isolated from the rest of the room, out of sight in case anyone were to step in. Ben kept the yellow blanket—for obvious reasons because he still wasn’t clothed—and was using an extra pillow for support. 

As for Rey, she’d lain in bed on her back, staring at the blank ceiling as her mind spun like a tornado, jumbling her thoughts into a swirling storm and leaving her incapable of focusing on just one thought alone. There was also no possible way she could get a wink of sleep when all she could hear was the heavy sound of a random man breathing a few feet away. 

Only a couple of hours ago she was living a normal, stressful college life. Studying through the night while drinking unhealthy amounts of sweetened coffee, forgetting too often to do her laundry, writing a paper longer than the lifespan of the universe, and the list went on. 

All it took was one moment in time to find herself hiding a possible _space_ _warrior_ in her dorm.

And was he really that? Was he this human man who somehow _wasn’t_ born on Earth? Wielding the power to levitate objects on command? Claiming he knew her? 

And, oh, how _weird_ it was when he said that. His eyes held a certain vulnerability in them that she’d only seen in herself.

The one thing that stuck out the most, though, was when her phone flew out of her grip and into his waiting hand. With the tiny amount of sleep she got, she could’ve convinced herself she was hallucinating the whole thing—some random man, sculpted like a hero, using magical powers—but it was real. Too real. It was like a movie scene somehow broke out of the screen it was behind and planted itself in reality. 

She had so many questions.

When it was nearing three o’clock in the morning, Rey gave up on falling asleep and sat up in her bed, looking forward as her eyes found Ben from across the dark room. The window behind her projected faint golden lines through the blinds—an effect from the soft lights on campus—and they landed almost perfectly on Ben’s form, making him just visible enough. She could see how the lines curved around the lumps of the blanket, his wild black hair—

—a broad chest. 

Dark eyes.

And a face that was already looking directly at her.

He was awake, sitting up like she was. Practically mirroring her.

That’s not what she wanted. 

“Can’t sleep?” Ben’s hushed voice broke the silence of the night, deep and soft. 

“No.”

“I could practically hear you thinking.”

“Is that another power of yours? Reading my mind? Knowing my thoughts and feelings?”

It was an attempt at a joke, but Ben didn’t respond. He kept staring at her, and though she could see him, it was still difficult to make out exactly what expression he wore on his face. It was impossible to tell _how_ he was looking at her.

She didn’t like it.

Rey began to think that the comment might have deterred him in some way, that the conversation was over, and she didn’t know why. 

She was snapped out of her thoughts when Ben simply replied, “Goodnight, Rey.”

And with that he lay back down, obscuring himself from Rey’s view, leaving her confused and her mind even messier than it was before. It was like she hit a nerve in him and he didn’t want to dive further into what it meant. 

Ben’s breathing evened out, an indication that he was asleep. 

She didn’t know how much time passed as she still sat there looking at him. Watching him. Wondering. She didn’t know him for even a full day, and yet something odd filled the atmosphere at his presence—something that was comfortable and yet new. It was as if a stranger was familiar. Those two things shouldn’t go together.

But they did when it came to Ben... 

_ Okay. No. Back up. _

What was she thinking? She had no idea who he even was. Even though he was clearly unarmed, the man had powers. If he could do what he did with her phone, what was he capable of with other things—even people? What if he was evil? What if he was only pretending to be harmless?

How is it that even with the concerns floating around in her head, the countless ways this situation could prove to be horrible for her, she was finding it so hard to believe. It was harder to imagine Ben as a bad person than a good one.

It must’ve been the way he looked at her, almost as if...

Rey couldn’t finish the thought. She wasn’t ready to face what it implied. One, because there was still a chance Ben really _was_ flat out lying to her, and two, because she wasn’t going to convince herself he was worth trusting in such little time. 

She had to be smart about this. 

He had one month. One month to explain it all. That was more than enough time to sort this out.

Finally, she lay back down on her bed. It wouldn’t be until the sun barely started to rise that Rey would finally grow tired enough to close her eyes and rest. 

•~•

“Rey.”

The feeling of a warm hand gently shaking her arm woke her up, and she winced at the broad daylight shining into her room. Her alarm was blaring, ringing throughout the entire space, and there were so many things bombarding her senses that she barely registered the fact that Ben was towering over her with her phone in his hand.

“Rey. Please turn this thing off,” He grumbled, his voice so low it almost pierced through her. 

She flung out her right arm and accidentally slapped his wrist in the process, finally grasping the phone and subconsciously hitting the snooze button without even having to see it properly. 

Ben’s brows furrowed, clearly confused and fascinated by the whole thing. 

“Sorry,” Rey said tiredly, lacking any kind of energy in her voice. “Also, don’t be so loud. My roommate, remember?”

“She left. I heard the door open and close a while ago.”

At that, Rey got up out of bed and Ben made space for her to stand. She opened the door of her room and closed it, leaving Ben alone. 

She called out Rose’s name. Once. Twice. Three times. When there was clearly no response, Rey was finally sure she had gone to class. It must’ve been around ten o’clock if she could remember her schedule correctly. 

It was Tuesday. Rey didn’t have class until later in the afternoon, so she was stuck with Ben for a while. 

Suddenly a thought popped into her head. 

As she walked back into her room, Ben was standing in the same place, and he just... didn’t fit. 

_ How tall is he?— _

“Um, I was thinking,” Rey said quickly, canceling her previous thoughts. “I usually go down to the café that’s here to get breakfast. Have you eaten?”

“What’s a café?” Ben looked absolutely lost, but it seemed like he was genuinely trying to understand. “You mean  _ caf?” _

Rey scrunched up her brows and shook her head. “It’s called a  _ café.  _ With an ‘E’ at the end.”

“I’ve never heard of it.”

“Okay, just—“ Rey couldn’t believe he actually didn’t know. “I’m going to go get food for us. You’re staying here.” Ben just nodded, and there was a short moment of silence between them before Rey cleared her throat. “I—I have to get dressed, so—“

“Oh, right, I can just—“

“Just don’t _look—“_

“I wasn’t planning to.”

“Okay.”

The last thing Rey saw before Ben turned away from her was the light pink hue coloring his cheeks.

Walking over to her closet, she opened the white door and left it to cover herself for extra privacy just in case Ben was actually a creep and tried to peek. If that happened, she really would throw him out the window—a three-story drop—his bones be damned. 

She threw on a pair of brown high-waistedpants that fit loosely, a white crop top that hung off the shoulders, and the same brown sandals she had on yesterday. She didn’t bother with hair or makeup since this was just her morning routine, and as she stepped out from behind the opened door of her closet, she found Ben with his back still facing her. 

“You can look now. It’s fine,” Rey mumbled, grabbing her bag and making sure she had her wallet. 

Ben turned and exhaled, almost like he was holding in his breath the whole time. “I’ll be here, then.”

“Yeah, I won’t be long.”

“All right.”

Silence.

Awkward silence. 

Rey ended the dry conversation with a wave of her hand, some kind of perfunctory attempt at normalcy.

Saying there as an elephant in the room was an understatement at this point. There were things that needed to be unpacked.

It was only the beginning of a very weird day.

•~•

On the way to the café, Rey was once again facing a tornado of thoughts inside her mind. 

What kind of food did Ben eat? And that was assuming he was telling the truth about being from another galaxy. 

Did he ever eat bagels? Eggs? Breakfast sandwiches? 

He brought up the word _caf,_ which Rey could safely guess was related to coffee in some way. Unless she was wrong and it wasn’t. Even so, she didn’t know how he drank his coffee anyway. 

It was all so weird to think about. How suddenly it was _Ben_ who invaded her mind. This man she knew next to nothing about was somehow sticking out like a sore thumb in everything she was currently doing. 

She ended up ordering two breakfast sandwiches, both with bacon, eggs and cheese. Rey got herself an iced coffee with two sugars, and took a wild guess of hot coffee for Ben. She grabbed four sugar packets just in case. 

On the way back she also realized Ben was in dire need of clothing, so she made an extra stop at the campus store. There they sold essential things for class, like notebooks and pens, but they also sold sweatshirts and sweatpants. It wasn’t exactly cheap, but it would have to do for now. If Ben was lying about everything she would just make him pay her back, but something told her she wouldn’t have to worry about that situation becoming reality. 

She guessed his size to be large, because, well... he wasn’t  _ small. _

Holding the bags of food and clothing in both hands, she made her way back to her dorm.

•~•

Ben inhaled his meal and drank his coffee—which he took with no sugar at all—in what felt like milliseconds.

And Rey wasn’t surprised, watching that enigma of a man make a breakfast sandwich and a coffee cup look insignificantly small in his large hands, sitting on her bed, absolutely demolishing the food in at least two bites. 

It was a sight to see. She couldn’t help it. 

It wasn’t like most guys around campus were built like him. Ben looked... _well_ beyond the years of college and like he had all the time in the world to train his body to perfection.

One thought led to another.

“How old are you?” she blurted out without warning. 

Ben was in the middle of chewing as he stared at her, and when he swallowed what was left of his food, he replied, “Thirty.” 

Rey’s eyes widened a bit, and she reeled her shock in as best as she could. 

That wasn’t  _ old,  _ but it was older than she was at the indecisive age of twenty. Rey suddenly couldn’t look Ben in the eyes. Was she embarrassed? Blushing? Did she _like_ that he was older? Why did she even care?

What was happening to her?

She had to change the subject. 

“I got you clothes. It’s not much, but it’ll do for now,” Rey said, grabbing the bag she had left by her door and pulling out the black sweatshirt and pants. “I guessed your size, so I apologize in advance if it, uh, doesn’t fit.”

Ben took the clothing in his hands, and what happened next was... weird.

He _laughed_ at the sight of it, and it was the kind of laugh that carried an air of disbelief, irony— _sadness._

She cleared her throat and Ben met her eyes.

“Oh, it’s just...” he trailed off, his tone softened with a mix of melancholy and bewilderment. “There’s a small hole in the sweater and it reminded me of something. It’s a long story.”

“Oh. Do you want me to exchange it? I didn’t realize—“

“No, it’s fine. Don’t worry about it.”

Rey just looked at him. At his face. She never really got a good look at Ben until now. His hair was swept back in long, luscious waves, black as the night. His skin was pale, but somehow glowing in the morning light of her room. Beauty marks dotted his face, and there was an urge to reach out her hand to... touch them? She didn’t care if it was an absurd thought in the moment. Her eyes drifted to his nose, long and narrow. His lips were... full, to say the least. He had a mouth that could _devour—_ she’d seen proof of it just moments ago—and Rey couldn’t look at it for too long because she was afraid her eyes would get stuck. 

And finally, his eyes. This was what captivated her the most. Ben’s brown eyes were the kind that could tell an entire story in just one look. She didn’t have to know him long to realize that. They were sharp yet warm. Full of history and yet unexplored. She was fooling herself, wasn’t she? Being so lost in this man’s eyes that she wouldn’t mind if she was never found. 

_ Snap out of it.  _

“So...” Rey resurfaced to reality. “You get dressed, and then... we can talk. About everything.”

The energy in the room was suddenly charged. It felt like lightning struck the floor and spread out to every wall, caging both of them in a field of piercing intensity, pulsing and flickering with each second that passed.

Ben was late to reply, studying her like she was studying him. They were caught in a limbo of observation. One of them had to break the cycle or else they’d be staring at each other for centuries, and they could only stay frozen in place for so long. 

His eyes roamed over her face, questioningly yet knowingly. They scanned her features, and she would’ve felt uncomfortable had it been somebody else, but... she didn’t. 

What was it about him that made her feel this way?

It almost frustrated her to no end. How this man could somehow keep her from forming a reasonable thought, steer her away from thinking clearly, and Rey was the kind of woman who wouldn’t let anything slip past her defenses. 

She felt a spark ignite within her. 

_ “I do know you, Rey.” _

The memory of the words he said yesterday flooded her mind.

Did he? 

She couldn’t think further as she noticed Ben nod at her. He couldn’t even speak. It was like that same spark hit him as well.

Was there a chance she might know him better than she thought?

He rose from her bed with the clothes in his arms and made his way over to the end of the room, opening the closet door like she had earlier and trying to use it as some kind of cover. 

Rey turned around, and as she did, a perplexing feeling pooled in her stomach. 

It was like she could feel what was going on—like she could feel _Ben_ in a way that wasn’t even physical. 

What was happening?

The sound of footsteps heading toward her made Rey spin around. Ben emerged, fully clothed. The outfit seemed to fit him well enough, not hugging his body too tightly. She tried not to let her eyes linger, but it was almost impossible to. Something about him looked oddly regal. Royal. This was a man who seemed to be lacking adequate sleep, with bags under his eyes, and yet he still carried himself in a way that signaled importance. He ran a hand through his hair as his eyes found hers, and his shoulders relaxed.

They were staring at each other again.

Ben walked over to her, and sighed, finally bringing up the inevitable. “I don’t know exactly how to start this.”

Rey nodded. “I know. I still can’t fully trust you, but... there’s something I can’t deny about you. You’re telling the truth to some extent as far as I know.”

“So, what _do_ you want to know?”

Rey pondered for a minute, but it didn’t take long for her to decide. It was the moment that stuck out the most. “Your powers. How were you able to do that... _thing?_ With my phone?”

Ben pursed his lips, putting both his hands on his hips as he looked up to the ceiling. Thinking. Finally, he met her gaze. “It’s called the Force. It’s obvious that this planet has no idea what it is, but it’s an energy. It’s in every living thing, however, some are more attuned to it. Like me. I’m _force-sensitive,_ which means I can manipulate the force—the energy—to do a multitude of things, like moving your phone. In battle, it can be used for facing against enemies, and so on. It’s not just a power, but something that’s felt.”

_ In battle? _

Rey absorbed the information, watching Ben’s eyes as he spoke—eyes that wouldn’t be able to hide a lie completely. 

She believed him.

“Okay,” Rey said cautiously. “So, why doesn’t anyone know about it on Earth? How does it not exist here?”

Ben shook his head. “I don’t know, but you...” He started to look stressed out, like he couldn’t piece together his own thoughts in a way that was understandable. Something was blocking the road.

Rey tilted her head in confusion. “I... what?”

“You have— _had_ it. You had that power, too.”

“What do you mean?”

Something urgent flashed in Ben’s eyes. “Rey... I know you—or I _knew_ you—I still can’t understand how you’re here and yet... it’s not you, but it _is_ you. I just don’t know how to explain it.”

She felt her heart quicken in speed. Was it fear? Anticipation? Her voice almost cracked when she said, “You keep telling me you know me, but we’ve never met. I’ve never seen you before. _How?”_

The room fell silent. What could Ben say? Rey knew she was in the right. She’d never met him before until yesterday. Him constantly saying he knew her didn’t line up. There was no way to explain it without it not making any sense, right?

“Rey, you existed in the galaxy where I’m from. You were there.”

_ You were there. _

“That’s not true!”

Why did this strike a chord in her? There was something about the challenging nature of his claim that didn’t sit right. It meant that she had to question herself— _who_ and _where_ she was.

Ben looked panicked. “Yes, it is! I don’t know how else to explain it without it sounding crazy. You were there. With _me._ We were—we knew each other in a way that... that might alarm you. We knew each other deeply.”

Rey couldn’t keep eye contact with him then. His expression was too intense, too plaintive. Begging her to keep an open mind. “How? I know you’re trying, but I can’t understand, Ben. I can’t understand the idea that I could somehow exist in two different worlds. How am I supposed to believe you? Making my phone levitate again won’t prove anything this time!”

She didn’t even notice her voice had raised, on the verge of yelling. She couldn’t help it, how intense everything became in such a short amount of time. 

Without warning, Ben stepped into her space, and Rey had no choice but to look up at him. He towered over her, his jaw clenching as he stared into her eyes. 

The tension between them was almost unbearable. She wanted to release it, like popping a balloon, but at the same time, she wanted the balloon to grow _bigger._ She wanted to see how much it could take before breaking apart.

“May I hold your hand?” Ben asked, his voice dropping low. 

“What?”

He looked desperate, and the next words were whispered, only for her despite it being just the two of them in the room. _“Please, Rey.”_

They were looking into each other’s eyes, breathing heavier than normal, the uneasy sound of it filling the room. Fostering the tension. Rey couldn’t tear her gaze away, and Ben looked at her with eyes that pleaded. Eyes that cared.

She knew then that there would be no way to understand if she said no, and all she wanted was to make sense of this whole situation. 

Finally, Rey nodded, and held out her right hand to him. 

The last thing she felt was the warmth of Ben’s left hand sliding over her palm, gentle yet shaky, and suddenly she was taken out of reality. 

She saw a _vision._


	3. The Vision

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “I liked the vision of the lake,” Rey admitted softly. “It was nice.”
> 
> “That’s... good,” Ben said a little awkwardly. “Unfortunately it did not actually happen.”
> 
> Rey was seized by the urge to tell him it still could, but maybe that was crossing a line—confessing that she didn’t mind if he held her in this reality—and suddenly something wild flickered in Ben’s eyes.
> 
> Like he heard her thoughts. Like she already admitted it to him without uttering a word.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello! Hope you enjoy the new update :) things are about to pick up from here.

It was comfort.

Wherever Rey had gone was the most comforting place she’d ever known.

It felt like home.

She was shrouded in warmth like no other, and it was _purposeful._ It was like the goal of that warmth was to hold her close, to never let her go. She was cared for, given a place of solace. 

She felt loved.

The next thing Rey noticed was the fresh air, the echoes of birds chirping across the clear blue sky. An ancient tree sprouted above her, lush emerald leaves providing a roof over her head, and in that moment she knew she was lying down.

In Ben’s arms.

They circled around her, and she lay between his legs, his hands resting on her abdomen. His back leaned against the trunk of the tree as his chin gently rested on top of her head. Her gaze focused on clusters of wildflowers in the distance, dotting the grass with pinks and yellows, and beyond them was a lake. The water was still, a mixture of silver and green and blue, reflecting the sun’s rays in a way that told her this was all a dream. 

None of it was real.

This was the vision Ben had pulled her into.

Rey wanted to ask what was going on, but she couldn’t. The vision wouldn’t allow it, forcing her to go along with the scenario that was currently playing out. She sighed, letting the dream wash over her like a wave, and suddenly—

“Rey. Sweetheart.”

Before she could even respond, the vision _changed,_ and Ben disappeared along with the scenery around them. It was like a simulation, a computer building blocks of another world around her, and suddenly she felt sweltering heat.

A desert.

She stood up as her feet dug into scorching sand, the sun burned on her skin, and she was stranded. Not a sign of civilization in sight. Alone. Afraid. Left to survive on a wasteland, a barren world.

A voice echoed from beyond, “These are the first steps...”

A child screamed, “Come back!”

_ “The belonging you seek is not behind you. It is a ahead.” _

Then Ben was there. The sand dissipated and transformed into dark tiled floors. He walked toward her, dressed in black attire made for battle, a cape billowing behind him, hair tousled, and dark eyes stared into hers with the weight of a million suns. She noticed a long scar ran along the right side of his face, starting above his brow and trailing down his neck. The sound of his boots echoed with each step as he got closer to her, and then finally—he pulled her toward him, bare hands hidden in black leather gloves landing on her waist. 

She was dressed in clothing similar to his, though in shades of gray and earthy tones. Something metal sat by her hip, shaped similar to a cylinder. A hilt of some kind. 

A weapon.

She was a warrior. Like him.

_ “I knew you, Rey.” _

He dipped his head, burying it in her neck, and her eyes widened, but she didn’t fight it. She welcomed it—alarmingly so—and it wasn’t like she could control what was happening in the first place. Suddenly an enchanting throne shimmered into existence ahead of her, inky black and looking stone cold to the touch. Ben’s breath fanned over her neck. 

“We will rule how we want,” Ben nearly whispered, lips skimming up her neck and brushing against her left ear. “What’s mine is yours.”

Then a flash of light, and the weapon she once possessed was broken in two. 

A different outcome. 

_ “Join me.” _

“Be with me.”

_ “Please.” _

“Don’t do this, Ben.”

They fought. 

Blades of sapphire and scarlet crossed and collided to create flashes of amethyst—a reminder that connection still resulted even in their times of opposition. Anger and hurt flooded Rey’s body as she moved against him, against his words. Ben never struck, but always defended himself as she lashed out. It was more like a dance, as though something about fighting didn’t fit. Even in the midst of battle they were bound to fall into unfolding arms, bound to cry apologies and promises that were uncertain to be kept.

They were bound to heal each other.

Tears fell down her cheeks, hope lost to crashing waves around her, but their eyes met. They met in the middle of a wreckage—in the middle of war.

The fighting stopped. 

A hand was on the back of Rey’s neck, supporting her. Holding her as though she had been lost and was finally found. An aquamarine haze surrounded her, and it was _Ben_ who held her close. Ben, whose face suffered minor cuts that bled crimson, who looked like he’d been through hell and back, and yet—

—the way he looked at her was _devoid_ of pain. Devoid of agony. It was the opposite of those things. 

He looked relieved, as if her very being brought him peace and patched up the brokenness so physically apparent on him.

She barely registered her own hand lingering on his cheek for a moment. A short yet everlasting moment. 

“Ben.”

She leaned forward, the faint feeling of lips connecting, and then—

—Ben was gone. Torn from her grip and falling to the ground, Rey’s hand clasping his own.

A heart— _his_ heart—stopped.

The feeling in her chest was like no other, as if a black hole ripped open inside of her and demolished every bit of light. It was excruciating pain, like missing a limb. It felt like half of her soul died with him, and then the ground swallowed her whole.

The vision ended.

•~•

Reality brought destruction to it all like a collapsing star, and Rey recoiled from her grip on Ben’s hand, taking multiple steps backward. Her breathing was frantic. Quick and heavy, almost like she ran a marathon even though she didn’t move a muscle. 

She tried to console herself.

_ This is real. You’re a college student on Earth. Whatever you just saw was not part of your life.  _

But before she could think further, Rey brought trembling fingers to her lips.

Lips that may have kissed the man standing in front of her. A man who promised her something much greater than she could’ve ever imagined.

A man who _knew_ her.

He was stiff as he stood across from her, looking... well, dazed. Maybe even embarrassed. 

“I didn’t think it would show so much,” Ben mumbled, scratching the back of his neck, his cheeks turning a light shade of pink. “You saw some things that did not truly happen.”

Rey’s brows furrowed. “Meaning that there were some things that _did_ happen? You pulled me out of reality. I’ve never experienced any of those things.”

Ben stepped forward, closing the distance between them, and Rey didn’t notice her back had gone up against the wall. 

Ben’s voice lowered. “That was to show you how I knew you, how you were there in another life. Not this one. Also, it showed how I... _felt_ about you, which I did not exactly plan to tell you so early on.”

How he felt about her. The lake. His arms around her. His lips. His promises.

_The_ _throne._

“Ruling together,” Rey said breathlessly, and Ben nodded, his gaze fervent and heartfelt as the space between them grew smaller. She looked up at him, his tallness almost dizzying to her senses. “You were a ruler.”

“Yes.”

“Was I?”

A moment of silence, and then: “You could’ve been. With me. You declined my offer.”

Time had passed during the vision. In fact, Rey missed her class—as the lighting of golden hour in her room basically confirmed—which also meant Rose would be back soon. 

She couldn’t help but painfully ask the question that came out next. “You died, didn’t you?”

Ben swallowed, the air becoming thick suddenly. He couldn’t meet her eyes, looking at the wall she was against instead, his left eye twitching. “I died in order to save you. It was the easiest decision I ever made—giving you my life.”

_ He gave me his life?  _

Her mind was blurred. Clouded. She was trying her best to absorb it all, the tiny fragments of a story Ben had only just begun to tell. There was more to it, of that she was sure. 

“How are you alive then?’” Rey inquired, her brain trying to dig further.

Ben looked down to the floor. “The Force certainly had a hand in it, but I don’t know why—why I would come back and be _here._ With you, but in a different reality. I want to make sense of it, Rey, so you can understand. You deserve to understand.”

Rey didn’t know how to respond.

Verbally, that is. 

He was looking at her so intensely, both of them caught up in the moment and the closeness of each other. She didn’t want to think twice about it—about her arms moving to wrap around Ben’s neck, pulling him into an embrace and feeling what she felt in the vision.

Feeling comfort. 

_ This, _ she thought. _This_ _I know is true. How this feels. _

It didn’t terrify her like she expected it to. It reassured her instead. 

“Ben,” Rey said, her voice soft yet determined. “I believe you. It’s all still so confusing, but... I believe that you knew me. I hope that’s enough—”

“That is more than enough, Rey,” Ben rushed, his voice thick with relief. “More than enough.”

She could feel Ben‘s heartbeat quicken as his arms carefully, _hesitantly_ wrapped around her waist, almost as if he was afraid this, too, wasn’t real. Like this was just another vision. He pulled her closer, her face in the crook of his neck as he bent down.

“There’s so much more you need to know. About you. About me...” Ben trailed off.

It sounded like he was wounded, unable to finish his sentence. 

They broke apart. Rey’s mind seemed to take a break from piloting her body and her heart took control. Her hands slid down Ben’s chest slowly and rested there. She didn’t want to pull away completely.

It had only been two days. 

But it was like she knew him longer than that. Much longer. 

“I liked the vision of the lake,” Rey admitted softly. “It was nice.”

“That’s... good,” Ben said a little awkwardly. “Unfortunately it did not actually happen.”

Rey was seized by the urge to tell him _it still could,_ but maybe that was crossing a line—confessing that she didn’t mind if he held her in this reality—and suddenly something wild flickered in Ben’s eyes.

Like he heard her thoughts. Like she already admitted it to him without uttering a word.

Her hands lingered on his chest, his own hands resting on her waist. 

They were frozen. Inches apart. Eyes locked. Their breath fused together, the room became darker as the sun set, and then someone was leaning in. It was Rey—no, it was Ben—or maybe it was _both_ of them.

She closed her eyes, and then—

“I can’t,” Ben said, his lips nearly brushing her own as her eyes shot open. 

The moment dissolved. 

They almost _kissed._

Rey swallowed, her hands coming down to her sides swiftly and with a hint of shame, but still— _still—_ the question slipped out. “Why?“

His hands left her waist, and she felt cold. No longer enveloped in the warmth of him. A part of her wanted to guide his hands back to her, but she threw it aside.

“I am not a good man, Rey.” His voice cracked. “I—I’ve done horrible things.”

They were still so close to each other. 

“No,” Rey argued, in denial. Her voice came out smaller than she wanted it to, still affected by the spark of energy that flowed through her from his touch. “From what I see now, you’re good. I haven’t known you long, but even when I thought of the ways that you could be a threat—that you could _harm_ me—it didn’t sit right.”

Ben was silent.

She continued. “I might not be certain of everything, and maybe I’m being naive, but just now— _this—“_ Rey gestured to their closeness—“this is right.”

“You say that now, but once you know everything—“

“Do I _have_ to know _everything_ right now—”

“I don’t want you to regret anything when you _do_ know!”

So, they were back to yelling. Arguing. She didn’t like it when they argued. 

From the look on Ben’s face it was clear he didn’t like it either. 

Rey softened her voice again, trying to cool down the conversation. “I’m giving you one month, Ben. Thirty days. This is only day two. I don’t need to know everything now. Please.”

He put space between them, stepping back. Running a hand through his hair, he explained, “It was war, Rey. Things were—”

“Ben,” Rey interrupted, and this time she was the one to get in his space. “This is enough for today.”

“But—“

“Ben, please. We have time.” Rey suddenly felt the beginnings of a small smile tugging at her lips. Maybe it was the sight of Ben so worried, how it made him look... _cute._ Suddenly she could sense his slight embarrassment, almost as if the feeling went straight through her. “Sorry, I didn’t mean for that thought to embarrass you.”

She expected him to respond quickly, but he didn’t. Instead, he looked shocked. _Confused,_ even. His brows lifted slightly as he studied her face, his jaw going slack, and then—

—his voice sounded _hopeful._

“Rey... How did you know I was feeling embarrassed?”

She blinked her eyes at him, confused. “What do you mean?”

“Did you just feel my embarrassment?”

“I—I guess? Why, is it—“

She couldn’t finish her question because the sound of the door echoed throughout the dorm.

_ Rose. _

The timing couldn’t have been any worse. 

Rey shot Ben an apologetic stare as she ushered him to get in her closet, knowing Rose would be coming into her room any second. He was hidden by the time she did. 

As Rose began telling her about the latest events with Hux and the impending doom of her upcoming exam, Rey tried her best to listen, but it didn’t take long for her to completely tune out and think about what just happened between her and Ben.

She... _felt_ his emotion. She felt it like it was normal—like it was something everyone in the world was capable of. 

And clearly that wasn’t the case. 

So, what did it mean?

Rey decided to test it. Her mind focused on Ben and where he currently was, hidden in her closet until Rose left. She let the thought of him, of his presence, sink into her—or rather she sank into _him,_ like he was quicksand. Then, a sudden bolt of lightning, an energy flowed through her.

_ An energy... _

“Rey? Are you okay?”

Rose’s voice made Rey lose all of her progress, the energy turning into mist in her mind. She wanted to curse, but unfortunately to Rose, Rey’s life was playing out as it normally did and there definitely was _not_ a magical man hiding a few feet away. 

“Sorry, I just realized I missed my class today, so I’m a bit off,” Rey replied, noticing the line of Rose’s mouth pull into a light frown.

They were best friends. Rey knew that keeping Ben from her was something she had to do for now, or at least until Rey herself could figure out exactly what was going on between them. Her confusion wouldn’t help Rose’s confusion in any way. Still, keeping anything from Rose was rare—even impossible—as they always told each other things often without a filter. Honesty came easy to both of them.

At least it did until now.

Rose just nodded her head at Rey and said, “Well, I’m going to go back out and meet up with Finn and Poe. Wanna come?”

Maybe some time off to be with friends was needed right now. Or else she’d be alone with Ben again and who knows what would end up happening?

_ Not that I’d mind those possibilities coming to reality— _

She shut the door on her thoughts before they escalated. “Sure. You go ahead and I’ll catch up. Where are you guys meeting?”

“The seating area outside of the Performing Arts building. Finn’s bringing food.”

Rey nodded and then Rose was out the door, leaving her and Ben alone once again.

The door of her closet creaked open slightly. 

Rey swallowed down her nervousness and walked over to Ben, who was crouched down and tangled up in his long legs. She could laugh right then and there, the sight of his largeness never quite becoming something she could adapt to. 

She crouched down across from him so they’d be at eye-level. 

“I’m meeting up with some friends for a little. I just need some... space for now, if you can understand,” Rey explained. “Ben, I—”

“It’s okay, I get it. That was a lot today.”

“I know, but I can’t stop thinking about what I felt—“

“Like you said, this is enough for now. We have time,” Ben said softly, his eyes even softer as they stared at her. Then he offered a humorous smile. “Also, my leg is cramping up a little bit. Are you sure there isn’t a more... _comfortable_ place I can hide?”

“Nope.”

“Well then.”

Rey stood up and subconsciously reached her hands out for Ben to grab onto, pulling him up out of her closet.

They didn’t let go of each other. 

“Okay, um... I—I’m just going to go—“ Rey stuttered.

“Yeah, that’s fine—“

She looked down at her hands in his. How his seemed to almost dwarf hers in a way that caused her mind to become a bit fuzzy at the edges.

Why was it always so awkward when they had to say goodbye? 

Rey finally pulled back and grabbed her bag, making her way to her door and preparing to leave. 

She glanced back at Ben one last time, who was just standing there, looking at her like always with those dark eyes.

“I...” her voice was wavering, wary of her word choice. She licked her lips. “I think I feel it, too, Ben.”

He didn’t answer her, but his eyes said it all.

He understood. 

Rey left. 

And even when she was finally with her friends, out of her dorm, she couldn’t help but notice a new feeling pooling in her stomach.

_An awakening._   
  



	4. Day... Twelve

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Is it possible we can go out tonight?”
> 
> It caught her off guard. “Go out?”
> 
> Ben nodded. “If it’s no trouble, of course. I know you want me to stay hidden, but I... would like to spend time with you outside of here.”
> 
> He couldn’t help but work his jaw as she contemplated his suggestion, her eyes falling to his lips as he did so. She shifted on her feet for a moment before meeting his stare.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Finally, a new chapter! It took me longer than expected to update, so I hope this can make up for it :) 
> 
> Also, there’s a song at the end of this chapter. It’s “Space Song” by Beach House, just in case you want to listen to it while reading (I recently downloaded it and had it on repeat while writing)!

It turned out that there wasn’t _always_ time to discuss things.

Ten days flew by.

Ben was quick to learn that Rey had a busy schedule, attending the academy he was basically trapped inside and whatnot. She was gone most of the day, but never forgot to leave him some kind of food to eat, which left him holding back a smile every time. He at least had a form of entertainment in trying to figure out exactly _what_ he was eating—because whatever it was, it was good—and when Rey would come back he’d ask her. She would stand there with a small smile, trying not to laugh, and then proceed to explain the phenomenon of Doritos, doughnuts—the list went on. 

A routine began to take shape, with Rey waking first and Ben following not long after, sensing her. 

_ Sensing her. _

Of course, he still couldn’t wrap his head around it, and neither could she. 

Every morning Rey would look at Ben as though _he_ was the one who woke her up, always telling him, _“I feel it again,”_ or that his emotions were practically _spilling_ into her. He’d feel her confusion with small hints of fear, uncertainty and curiosity, and all Ben wanted was to sit with her and help her navigate it all. To relax the frown that sat on her face.

But he couldn’t. 

She would be out the door too soon, and when she returned, she’d be working on an assignment or studying. When there weren’t too many classes to attend, Rey would go to her part-time job at a bookstore nearby. 

It’s not like Ben could complain. This was her life before he was even in the picture, and nothing was really going to change about that. Plus, it wasn’t like they didn’t have any moments at all. 

There was certainly... _tension_ growing between them.

Considering the bond they had was back—which Ben still needed to tell Rey about—it wasn’t like they were quick to shield their emotions. Their thoughts and feelings. 

They both were still loudly thinking about how they almost kissed. Ben’s hands on her waist, her hands on his chest. How close they were to each other, an electric current running between them. It was a moment that still lingered in the air—creeping up in stolen glances at each other’s lips and making the space between them feel thick whenever the room fell silent. 

And at night, when they’d attempt to go to sleep, the tension was _heightened_. Ben could feel Rey thinking about the vision of him holding her, and she left her mind open to him—wondering if he would ever hold her again in the reality he now found himself in. His heart would skip a beat, and he wanted to say, _“Yes, yes, I’ll hold you whenever you want,”_ but he just couldn’t be so forward. Not yet, at least. Right?

Even though he longed to touch her and kiss her, there was the heavy weight of his past looming in the corner of his mind—a shadow casting over the hope he felt. All of the horrible things he did could never be erased, and she would never want to be with him once she knew it all. 

The thought of her being so disgusted by him dealt a fatal blow to his heart, but nonetheless he understood that rejection from Rey was justified while acceptance from her would overwhelm him infinitely. He didn’t deserve her, did he? Time was running out and the bond between them would only grow stronger. Things would only become more complicated. 

And so it was ten days later. Ten days since they went through the vision, since they almost kissed. 

Ben needed to get out of here. 

He loved being with Rey in this little room—that was obvious—but he started to feel an itch to at least see more of this new world. To have her show him around even if it’s for a short amount of time. 

He’d also been wearing the same clothing she bought him for a little too long now, and he wasn’t going to keep having her wash it for him along with her own laundry. 

At that thought, Ben decided to head to the ‘fresher, grabbing the towel Rey set aside for him on top of the yellow blanket he kept folded next to her closet. 

_“Only go when Rose is gone, obviously,”_ Rey had said to him a few days prior, and luckily the entire dorm was left to himself for a few more hours, as Rose wouldn’t be back until nighttime. 

He showered as quickly as possible, using Rey’s shampoo and lathering his dark hair with a sweet, flowery aroma that caught him off guard. It was difficult not to think about her, to have his mind flooded with her and repeating every moment they touched or stared too long. He thought about her loose hair tumbling just below her shoulders, the indents in her cheeks whenever she smiled at him, her voice, and those hazel eyes that held bursts of sunlight in them. 

She was his light in every reality, it seemed. 

He didn’t realize how much he missed her until she shakily spoke to him for the first time, until her laugh _echoed_ throughout his body. She would always burn so bright. Even when she was tired from a long day or slightly moody, Rey was effortlessly _radiant,_ and he couldn’t get enough of it. 

When the sound of the front door shutting echoed over the water hitting the tiled floor, Ben jumped and nearly hit his head on the ceiling—it was a small shower for a man of his height. He hastily turned the shower off and wrapped the towel around his hips, stepping out and— 

—Rey _barged_ into the bathroom like it was entirely her business to. She froze.

She must’ve known he was in here, right? 

The look on her face said otherwise.

She swallowed and looked up at him, but he caught her. He caught the quick swipe of her tongue across her pink lips and her eyes lingering on his chest. He caught the sudden pulse in the Force, a spike from her signature, a sharp intake of breath. 

“Is... everything all right?” Ben asked once the silence went on for too long. 

Rey seemed like she was in a trance, looking at him, and replied, “Uh, yes— _yeah—_ all good. I didn’t know you were in here, obviously, but I’ll just let you finish—“

“No, it’s fine. I’ll go change in your room,” Ben offered, and as he moved to the door, clothing in hand, the space between them forced the bare skin of his right arm to brush against hers, and there it was again—that spike in the bond—to which he _almost_ stopped dead in his tracks. But instead he kept moving, leaving Rey and heading back to her room. 

The sun had finished setting and the dark night began to settle. Ben was standing by the window, his hair still drying by the time the door to Rey’s room opened, and Rey herself walked in with a sigh and a slight blush coloring her cheeks. 

She was wearing another pair of flattering pants that rose to her waist, dark green in color, accompanied by a tight brown shirt with short sleeves and a neckline that left her shoulders bare. Her hair was loose again, which he started to realize was his favorite thing, and he just couldn’t help himself—

“You look beautiful,” Ben nearly blurted, his tone still oddly soft and overcome with too much emotion. His face quickly burned up with embarrassment at the sight of Rey’s eyes growing wide and her lips parting in surprise. “Sorry, that just... slipped.”

Rey only relaxed her shoulders and gently said, “It’s okay. Thank you, Ben,” before walking over to him.

His nerves began to rise and crash like the waves of an ocean during a storm at her approach. He wanted her closer, but didn’t know if it was the best idea, afraid he’d start to lose his control and just kiss her right then and there. 

Before she could take another step toward him, he asked the question. 

“Is it possible we can go out tonight?”

It caught her off guard. “Go out?”

Ben nodded. “If it’s no trouble, of course. I know you want me to stay hidden, but I... would like to spend time with you outside of here.”

He couldn’t help but work his jaw as she contemplated his suggestion, her eyes falling to his lips as he did so. She shifted on her feet for a moment before meeting his stare.

“Okay. We have to be back before Rose is here, though. Also—“ she paused with a smile and looked down at Ben’s feet— “you need shoes.”

•~•

Fortunately the campus store was still open for another hour, and for the walk there Ben was humorously wearing a pair of Rey’s shoes— _flip-flops_ as she called them. A small fit was an understatement. The edges of his feet were still meeting the walkway with each step while Rey was failing to hold in her laugh. 

However, Ben was surprisingly unbothered by it all as he was more distracted with the world that was surrounding him. A very different world. 

Rey explained it to him. This was Earth. A planet existing in a galaxy he’s never known about, named the Milky Way. They were currently in a region— _country—_ called America. Earth was apparently the only planet known to have life, which was strange. Ben came from a galaxy of many worlds knowing of each other’s existence. If anything, this planet seemed extremely lonely—but maybe it was good because as far as he could tell, there weren’t any wars occurring on a galactic scale. 

Rey’s university, as it was called, was vast and open, containing various blocky buildings that each had their own specific area of study. There was math, science, the arts—and there was something refreshing about it to Ben. The Force had no place here. No teachings. Not a single mention of the Jedi or Sith. None of it existed.

A part of him painfully wondered that if he’d grown up in a world like this, he wouldn’t have been pushed to become _themonster._ Kylo Ren would be a name never spoken, and no trace of Palpatine could be found—there would be nothing controlling him. No voices inside his head. 

Maybe there was a second chance—a fresh start—waiting for him here. 

Ben was pulled from his thoughts as Rey grabbed his hand, leading him into the campus store where they picked out black slides— _“They’re the most comfortable shoes, Ben,”—_ and once they were done, they made their way to their mode of transportation for the night.

Rey’s... car.

It sat among countless others in a large space called a parking garage. 

Cars were like speeders that just didn’t leave the ground. Rey’s was a bit rusted and old, but in working condition. He could instantly tell she loved this car for all of its imperfections, and it was endearing to notice that this part of her was somehow still existing in another reality. Her liking for broken things, her way of being sentimental. He’d seen it when he was shown her past on Jakku. A doll she kept, a pilot’s helmet—

—the markings on the wall. 

_ Her parents.  _

Was everything about Rey’s past the same?

“Ben?” He looked up to find Rey’s head tilted at him, a small smile beginning to form. “You getting in?”

She was on the other side of the car, waiting for him to open his door, and that’s when things got tricky. 

It wasn’t that Ben didn’t know how to open a door correctly at this point. It was only because of the way Rey looked at him, all soft and adorable and patient. He was distracted. It definitely was _not_ because, for some reason, opening doors that looked different than what he was used to proved to be too much of a challenge for him. 

The knob on the car’s door was different than the one from Rey’s closet, which by now Ben had proudly mastered. Instead of sticking out, it looked more like a handle of some sort, and it was Ben’s first thought to try and turn it. 

He gripped the handle in his right hand and twisted, and Rey stood with a confused look on her face. She couldn’t see exactly what he was doing, but it was clear that he looked ridiculous enough to have her pursing her lips and trying not to laugh. 

After a minute of Ben getting frustrated by the door, she cracked. 

“You _pull_ it, Ben,” Rey said, trying her best to speak through small laughs bubbling from her lips. “Why are you... _turning_ it?”

“That’s how your closet door worked!” Ben nearly complained, his voice echoing through the parking garage and filled with annoyance at the stupid door once again. He was beginning to hate the whole concept of them on this planet. 

Rey only snorted and got into her side of the car. 

Ben sighed and calmed himself down before pulling the handle—not turning it—and opening the door. He struggled to fit inside, his knees bending too high as he sat and his head brushing the roof of the car. He noticed a seatbelt and was reminded of the _Falcon,_ just for a small moment, and before he had time to dwell on it he decided to push the thought away and just focus on the present. 

Focus on Rey.

Rey, who was staring at Ben with her widened eyes and her mouth agape. The bond felt like it was _sizzling._

“You barely fit in my car,” she said breathlessly, and it almost seemed like she was thinking out loud. As if the words were originally meant for her mind only. 

She was _appreciating_ him. His size. He could sense it rolling off of her in waves.

Ben smirked to mask the coloring of his cheeks, going along a teasing route. “Should I _apologize—“_

“No, it’s just—“ Rey looked panicked, putting a key into the car and bringing the entire vehicle to life. She looked ahead. “I think it’s... obvious that I find you attractive at this point.”

Ben couldn’t help the laugh that came out of him, and he could see Rey smiling from the corner of his eye. 

She began to reverse out of her spot and as she did so she asked, “Where do you want to go?”

“You’re the one who knows what’s here. What are your favorite places?”

Rey began driving out of the garage and out onto the roads that went throughout the university, pursing her lips as she pondered for a moment. “I have something in mind. I think you’ll like it.” 

•~•

The night was pitch black save for the golden streetlights and the blinding white glow of the small building in front of a confused Ben and an excited Rey. 

He tilted his head at the scene. “What is this again?”

“It’s a gas station, Ben. When your car’s getting low on gas you refill it here.” Her voice raised a bit due to cars on the main street zipping by.

“And there’s a store?”

“Uh, yeah. That’s the best part!”

He looked at her then, her eyes shining with anticipation not just for herself, but for _him._ He could feel it. Her wanting to show him something new, something that’ll entertain him. A soft breeze blew and rustled her hair slightly, her lips curving in a small smile as a neon sign casted a violet hue over the curve of her face. Ben felt like his heart got caught in his throat.

Before he could reply, Rey laced her fingers with his and pulled the door to the convenience store open. A rush of cold air greeted his face as they stepped in. Rey enthusiastically sped to the other end of the store as the cashier greeted them. 

Her quick steps left Ben trailing behind and with building curiosity. As he finally stood beside her, he found her picking up a weird looking snack food and he wanted to know immediately what it was.

She sensed him before he could even ask out loud.  


“It’s called... _string cheese,”_ she explained, sounding like she was revealing some sort of important secret. “This is _definitely_ what we’re eating tonight.”

“This is dinner?”

“Yes, Ben— _Oh!—“_ her mind was going a mile a minute, taking her to another spot in the store—“This!”

She held up two rectangular shaped snacks, the label on the front of them reading—

“Snickers?” Ben asked, his brows furrowing together despite the smile beginning to form on his face.

Rey nodded. Finally, she stepped a little more calmly to where they had drinks. 

“I’m thinking you should try...” she trailed off, looking at the different colored bottles with different names and flavors. “Coke is a classic. Let’s go with Coke.”

“You’re the expert,” Ben softly laughed out, and she turned around, struggling to hold everything in her arms. Ben helped her and took his own drink along with his own food as they both made their way to the register. 

With their dinner stuffed into a plastic bag, Rey pushed the door and they exited the store. She had the bag hanging off her arm as she walked ahead of him again and he had no idea where she was taking him. 

Rey, as always, seemed to be a step or two ahead of him. Always leading the way. Always acting first. 

He followed her past the store, past the gas station, further away from her car and finally they were on the sidewalk, closer to the traffic zooming alongside them. 

She was grasping the bag now in her left hand and her right hand slipped into his. A part of him felt like it was still too overwhelming just to have her touch him so gently—still too unbelievable—and yet here they were. Holding hands like it was the most normal thing in the world. 

The lights and noises from the cars made everything feel like a dream, a stark contrast to the dark night. Here he was in a new world with the same woman he’s always known, always found again no matter what.

They didn’t walk far, crossing an intersection and listening to their feet scrape along the sidewalk. Looking at the other cars, Rey was inspired to talk about the many times she experienced _road rage,_ about how she would lose her patience over the smallest inconvenience when driving. This had Ben laughing so hard he could burst a lung, just imagining her throwing a fit by herself over something so insignificant. He wanted to sarcastically tell her how that same rage worked _quite well_ when she had a lightsaber or a blaster nearby.

And so he did. 

“What? I tried _shooting_ you?” Now she was laughing in a way that held disbelief, maybe even some concern. 

Ben nodded. “All it took was seeing me for you to make up your mind. We were enemies at the time.”

“Still,” she chuckled. “What could’ve made me hate you that much?”

Ben swallowed.

He didn’t have time to even think of how to respond, as the place Rey brought him to started to appear in the distance. She was smiling once they approached an open field. It was completely abandoned, the grass a bit overgrown, and a part of Ben hoped Rey didn’t come to this place alone often. 

She felt his slight worry. “I’ve only been here with friends in the past. Trust me, I’m safe.”

Ben looked at her and squeezed her hand for a moment. They walked further into the darkness and then Rey plopped down onto a spot she liked, the bag of food shifting and crackling from the impact. Ben sat with legs crossed as she lay on her side, propping her head up with her arm. 

She pulled the food out of the bag and handed Ben his string cheese packet. 

Eating it was... an experience. 

It was just cheese, but not to Rey. This was cheese that you peeled and ate a certain way, therefore making it _extremely_ important to the history of snacks. 

“It’s revolutionary,” she argued, her mouth full. 

Ben smiled fully, saying, “If you say so,” and her eyes went soft. “I think my hands are too big for it, though.”

And maybe they were, as his fingers tried to peel away thin strips of cheese like Rey was doing. He had a hard time trying to pull it off—no pun intended—and he was embarrassed that this was somehow more difficult than, say, piloting his TIE silencer.

Rey chuckled and then—she grabbed his wrist, guiding him down to lie next to her.

When he did, he looked up, and being amazed was an understatement.

“This is my favorite place. The stars...” Rey began to say, but it was like she lost her breath, looking up as well and instantly becoming mesmerized by the clusters of stars in the sky. All of them twinkling and burning bright, some dimmer than others, but all existing together in a work of art only they could create. 

When they finished eating, Rey turned her head to look at Ben and asked, “Do you have music? Where you’re from?”

Ben looked at her and—and they were so close, he almost missed what she asked entirely. He replied, “Yes, but it’s not something you hear often unless you’re in a cantina every day.” 

Rey looked confused. 

He explained, “Oh, it’s like—they serve drinks there—“

“Like a bar?”

“I guess so, if it made you think of one.”

Rey shifted slightly to get her phone out of her pocket, and the screen became the only source of light, illuminating her face as she concentrated on it. 

“Well, on Earth,” she began, “music is universal. Everyone listens to it. There are countless artists and bands that just make music and put it out for everyone to hear. Songs about love, heartbreak, sadness, personal experiences... I could go on.” 

She plugged in a wire to the phone, of which there were two little separate buds at the end. She held one of the buds out to him.

Ben took it curiously. “What is this?”

“Headphones,” Rey answered. “You put it in your ear.”

As he fit the headphone into his ear, Rey busied herself by scrolling through multiple songs she had on her phone. He could feel her thinking of what was best to play, and then—

They sounded like strings, electronic chords of some sort spilling into his ear and flooding his brain. Getting louder and louder until a bright, almost aching melody came in with a simple beat. 

Beautiful.

Rey was smiling softly as she put the other headphone in her ear, looking at his reaction with wonder while also enjoying the song for herself. 

The lyrics started: 

_ It was late at night, _

_ You held on tight.  _

A memory of hands touching by firelight. 

_ From an empty seat, _

_ A flash of light. _

The vision of them on the throne.

_ It would take a while, _

_ To make you smile. _

She whispered his name as she rose from death.

_ Somewhere in these eyes, _

_ I’m on your side. _

Hazel and light. Always welcoming. Always telling him exactly what she wanted. 

“Ben.”

He pressed his lips to hers, his hand resting on her waist as she met him without hesitation. The kiss was slow, as if testing the waters, but still held a sense of urgency—they were both waiting for this. Tiptoeing around it for days. The music played on, wrapping them into an everlasting moment.

_ Fall back into place. _

_ Fall back into place. _

A symphony. Harmony. The bond itself was singing as their lips moved, changing angles and deepening the kiss altogether. Rey’s hand cupped Ben’s face as she leaned further into him. Wanting more. 

“I’ve never felt like this before,” she said breathlessly between kisses. “I only want to feel like this.”

Something ignited in him as he listened to her. Something passionate and raw and untamed. The need to be with her now and always. Forever. 

“You have me,” Ben confessed, the words only for her. 

They kissed one last time before he broke away with hooded eyes, already missing the sweet softness of her lips. He swallowed as her hand lingered on his cheek—A reminder that even here she still felt the same way. 

That’s what made reality crash into him. 

They finally kissed. A point of no return. 

They needed to talk. 

“Rey,” Ben said, taking the headphone out of his ear and leaving him with the silence of the night. His tone was soft, as calm as he could make it. “You need to know everything. Now.”

She noticed his serious expression and tried to at least lighten the mood. 

“Okay, but first—“ she pulled out the bottles of Coke, handing one to him—“we drink.”


End file.
